Blaze dad Abdul Shakoor is a hero

Mum Sabah with Hira, left, Sohaib, Rayan, Muneeb and Maheen. The tot is fighting for her life

It was carnage – there were bodies all over the place

Chief Fire Officer David Johnson

Abdul Shakoor leapt from a window of his blazing home, then tried to get back in to save his family.

Wife Sabah, sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayan, six, and 12-year-old daughter Hira were killed. A third son, Muneeb, nine, died in intensive care.

Daughter Maheen, three, who escaped with her dad, was last night fighting for life.

Dr Shakoor, whose wife was also a doctor, was screaming outside the end-of-terrace house in Harlow, Essex, when fire crews arrived, officers said.

They had first attended a neighbour’s blazing Ford Focus 50 metres away. Cops fear fuel was used to start both infernos in the early hours of yesterday.

Chief Supt Luke Collison said there was nothing to suggest the attack was racist.

But police said there had been earlier arson attacks on cars nearby.

Asst Chief Cons Gary Beautridge, of Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate, said: “I would like to stress that the father of these children was in the property at the time and fought hard to save his family in appalling conditions.”

Police said a key line of inquiry would focus on up to four people seen in the area.

One theory is the Muslim family were targeted in a case of mistaken identity.

The car was checked by a policeman with a dog trained to smell accelerant.

Neighbours reported hearing Dr Sabah’s “horrible screams” as fl ames shot from the front and back of the house.

Sharon Pavey, 53, said: “I saw flames coming out of the back and dialled 999 but was told firefighters were already on their way there.”